


Human Enough

by nonaestheticwhore



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Acceptance, Drowning, Found Family, Hybrids, Past Child Abuse, Self-Hatred, Wilbur is mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-18 08:28:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28864071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonaestheticwhore/pseuds/nonaestheticwhore
Summary: Ranboo has never met another hybrid, especially one treated as an equal by humans, until he stumbles across Philza Minecraft and Technoblade. They teach him what it's like to have a home.[If any content creator mentioned in this story is uncomfortable with it, I will remove it.]
Relationships: Ranboo & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Ranboo & Technoblade & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Ranboo & Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit, Technoblade & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 527





	Human Enough

When Ranboo was born, he was normal. There was nothing abnormal about him other than his strange hair and eyes, which mimicked each other. His hair was split down the middle, half white and half midnight black. He suffered from heterochromia, one eye a bright green and the other blood red. It got him a few strange looks and whispers, but no one thought anything was too strange about it. Not until he turned eight years old and he woke in the dead of night to scorching pain covering the entire right side of his body. His parents were panicking, confused as to why their son was in such extreme pain. They watched in horror as patches of black scales bloomed across the right half of their son's body and his cries turn from human to the awful sound of an enderman. 

The pain lasted for three days and two nights before the scales had finally covered every inch of the skin on Ranboo's right side, some bleeding onto the other side. When he awoke, he immediately knew something was wrong. He stood and his head was significantly closer to the ceiling of his bedroom.

"Of course it is, you grew," He jumps, wildly looking around his room.

"Who said that...?" He stutters out.

"Don't be stupid!" Another voice snaps, much more aggressive than the first.

"Boo, relax! He probably doesn't know what's going on," The first voice says, "I'm Ran and the other one is Boo, we aren't exactly anywhere around you so you can stop looking for us."

"I-I'm sorry, but where are you then?" Ranboo asks.

"Inside your head idiot," The second voice, Boo if Ranboo remembered correctly, hisses.

From that day forward, he slowly grew accustomed to hearing the two argue back and forth in his ears. Other things changed as well, the people of his village isolated him. They treated him as if he was a monster that had slaughtered their children. Even his own parents refused to look him in the eye, not as if he wanted them to. He found he now hated direct eye contact, it filled him with an indescribable emotion that made him want to scream. His screams had changed too, they sounded much more like an enderman and he gained tics where he would unintentionally growl like an enderman. He hated it. He often sat in his room late at night and sobbed quietly, his tears no longer the clear color he knew was normal, but a golden liquid. He wanted nothing more than to be normal.

He was 13 when the village grew tired of him walking among them. It was a semi normal day, nothing had stood out. He had been walking home when hands grabbed at his arms and hair. As he shrieked, the hands pulled him away from the houses. They continued through the woods until they came across a lake, Ranboo's heart dropped when he saw the water.

"I don't like this," Ran says, panic thick in his voice.

"Let me go!" Ranboo yells while thrashing around in a desperate attempt to loosen their grip on him.

Water splashes up around them as he was dragged into the cold water, gasping as he was flung forward. Hands grab at his hair and hold him under the surface. He chokes as water floods his mouth, pain flaring up in his lungs as he swallowed. His hands tried to pry the taunting grip on his head.

"We need to get out of here!" Ran shrieks.

The feeling of vertigo takes over his senses, the hands holding him down disappearing in a snap. He lurched forward, choking once more as his body forced the water from his lungs. His hands were resting on the ground below him as he expelled the remaining bits of water.

"What the hell?!" Boo yelled.

"Yelling isn't going to help, he needs to get as far away from here before they find him," Ran commands.

He is forced up onto his feet and they fall one after the other. He stumbled through the forest around him in a random direction, not stopping for fear of being caught. He never thought this would happen, he thought his village would come to accept him. Turns out, their fear of what they don't understand outweighed the fact that he was one of them. Even his parents hadn't planned on helping him from whatever fate he were to fall earlier. 

He found himself sleeping in caves, curling around himself and whatever small fire he could manage to start, he lived off of berries he knew were edible and practiced his new found ability. He had managed to nearly perfect teleportation, no longer feeling sick when he tried. 

After he traveled for days, if he had to guess it had been nearly three weeks, he stumbled across a small village. His fear and the whispers of Ran and Boo convinced him to take only what was necessary and flee, so he did just that. He manages to get a thick cloak and some starter tools before silently apologizing to the residents which gets him scolded by Boo.

His life shifts to one of a wanderer, never staying in one place and taking company in no one but the voices in his head. After a while, he begins to forget why he had been constantly moving or why the sight of water caused pain to flare up in his chest. These pains slowly halt, only occurring when he was caught in the rain for long periods of time or when he touches deep patches of water. It caused him to avoid large bodies of water, the irrational fear pushing him away from sea travel. He kept his hood up when passing through large cities, not wanting to reveal his status as a hybrid. He had grown more, now reaching around 6 foot 6 inches and his clothing had stopped fitting him a while ago. He had learned how to create his own, managing to create three sets of clothing he could cycle through. He had crafted a set of gloves as well as a mask, they helped hide the pitch black scales on his right hand and the part of his face his cloak couldn't cover. They had been modeled after his hair, half white and half black, in an attempt to keep some part of his personality.

His memories slipped and faded with each passing day and the only reminder of the past being the crown on his head and the cloak on his back, neither of which he could remember the place he got them from. After years of wandering, he stumbled across a large nation. It was beautiful, he couldn't deny the country that. As he ventured through it, stopping to purchase a bit of fruit, he took in the sights. The nation sat on top of water, a shudder running through him, but it wasn't deep enough to strike true fear into him. A sight that struck him as extremely unsettling was the sight of hybrids walking amongst humans. He felt himself staring at them as they passed, some even partaking in conversation with humans. 

As he walked through, keeping his eyes on the hybrids that walk past him, he collides with another person.

"I-I'm so sorry!" He quickly stutters out, "I wasn't paying attention, I'm really sorry."

"Stop apologizing, idiot," He hears Boo sneer.

The person waves him off with a smile, "It's quite alright, mate. Name's Phil."

He hesitates before taking the man's hand in his own and shaking, "Ranboo, it's nice to meet you."

"I take it you aren't from L'Manburg?" The man, Phil, asks.

Ranboo shakes his head, "I'm only stopping for a few days before moving on."

"You seem quite young to be a traveler," Phil cocks his head, "You with anyone? Parents maybe? Or are you on your way back to them?"

"Uh... no. I'm not with anyone and I don't have a set destination, I'm just going." He answers honestly, fear of being caught lying by a human rising up into his throat.

Phil frowns, "Can I offer you a place to stay then? You look unnaturally thin for your height... or your age. How old are you...?"

Ranboo opens his mouth to answer, but his mind draws a blank. How old was he? He couldn't remember how old he was when he celebrated his birthday last.

"I'm... I'm not quite sure actually, I can't seem to remember," He mumbles.

A look of pity washes over Phil's face, "C'mon mate, you can stay with me for a few days."

"N-No, it's alright! I don't plan on staying the night," He really doesn't want to stay with this human, he can't trust him.

A thought crossed his mind and he realized he had no idea why he was so afraid of humans. There was nothing when he thought back other than the feeling of water and pain in his lungs, not even Ran and Boo knew where the fear came from. So why was he so hesitant to accept this man's offer of a real bed to sleep in?

"I won't hurt you, doubt Tubbo would be very happy with me if I went around hurting random visitors," He says with a laugh, "I live alone if you're worried about other people being around."

Ranboo thinks over his options, "Thank you... I'm eternally grateful."

Phil waves his thanks off, “There is no need to thank me.”

They travel in silence through the nation. If Phil noticed how he walked directly in the middle of the bridges, he made no comment. Eventually they entered a small house, perched far above the water. It was a mix between cramped and cozy, something in Ranboo’s chest ached when he looked around the house. 

Phil looks up from his communicator, “I’m sorry to do this, but is it alright if my son stays for the night? He has a meeting with some cabinet members in the morning.”

“This man is close with the rulers of this nation,” Ran mumbles.

“He’s going to have you killed,” Boo hisses.

“We don’t know that!” Ran calls back, shoving Boo’s shoulder.

“O-Oh… I suppose so.” Ranboo answers.

“He’s a hybrid as well, if that offers any comfort,” The warm smile on Phil’s face confuses him.

“He’s allowed here?” Ranboo asks, even more confused.

Phil cocks an eyebrow, “Of course he is, all hybrids are welcome. Most of the cabinet are hybrids.”

“Oh…” Ranboo takes a second to process this.

“There are more hybrids?” Ran questions, “In positions of power?”

Ranboo speaks without thinking, “According to Phil, yes.”

“IDIOT!” Boo roars.

Phil looks confused, “Who are you talking to?”

“I-I…” Ranboo tries to come up with an excuse but his mind draws a blank.

“Hey, it’s alright,” Phil places his hands on the boys shoulders, “Deep breaths, you’re okay. My son has voices in his head too, there’s nothing wrong with you.”

“H-He does…?”

Phil nods, “There’s thousands of them, you have nothing to worry about. You aren’t in any danger.”

“Th-They’re called Ran and Boo,” He finds himself spilling everything, finally having someone to tell, “They have physical bodies, b-but no one can see them or touch them but me. They’ve been my only company since I started traveling.”

He expects a retort from Boo, but is met with silence from the two entities.

“They sound very nice, I take it they have been looking after you?”

He nods, “I think they’re older than me, but none of us know for sure. They offer me advice and help get me out of bad situations. I can only slightly remember when they first appeared, I was in a lot of pain. I remember the pain and I remember wishing I was normal, but everything else is blurry.”

“Sounds like you come from a village that doesn’t take kindly to hybrids,” Phil frowns, “I’ve ventured across some of those and they aren’t fun places to stay, much less live in.”

“Is he a hybrid?” Ran asks.

“R-Ran wants to know if you’re a hybrid…?” Ranboo murmurs.

Phil chuckles, “I am. I’m a phantom hybrid. All three of my sons are hybrids too.”

Ranboo feels himself relax more than he’s allowed himself to in a long time. He all but collapses into Phil, who wraps him as tight as possible. The height difference makes things slightly uncomfortable, but Ranboo has shrunken in on himself to the point where Phil is able to engulf him in the hug. The teen clings to the front of Phil’d shirt, clutching the fabric as if it were a life line.

Phil draws circles on the teens back and whispers comforting words into his ear. He was no stranger to this feeling, having seen it happen in all of his sons. He allows the boy to sit in his arms for as long as he needs, very conscious of every movement he makes so as to not drive him away.

Sobs emit from Ranboo’s throat, years of unknown trauma finally flooding out. He cries those thick purple tears until they run dry. Even still, he does not move from Phil’s embrace.

A knock sounds through the house, making Ranboo flinch, Phil gently consoles him before calling out for the person to enter.

“Phil? Is this the guest you mentioned?” A gruff voice from behind him startles Ranboo.

He feels Phil nod, “Ranboo? This is my son, Techno.”

Ranboo allows himself to halfway face the man behind him. He was taller than Phil, but still dwarfed compared to Ranboo, and he had tusks. Ranboo then noticed the man’s ears, pig ears, and the dark red eyes. He didn’t think a hybrid could look like him, almost human enough until you looked closer and then you noticed unnatural things about them. 

The man grunts, “He’s tall.”

Ranboo couldn’t expect any more, his hood and mask were still covering his face. 

The fact that he was with two hybrids instead of humans comforted him. Phil took it upon himself to start dinner, Techno had sat on the small couch and made small conversation with his father. Ranboo sat on the other side of the room at the table, Ran and Boo standing guard.

“I don’t like this guy,” Boo growls, staring at Techno.

Ran hums, “I think he’s just quiet, he’s Phil’s son and Phil has been nothing but kind to us.”

“It could be for show.”

“Will you lighten up a little? They’re hybrids, they’re like us.”

Ranboo reaches up and rubs his temples as the two devolve into an argument.

Phil glances at him, concern clear on his face, “You alright?”

Techno looks up to stare at the boy.

“They’re being loud,” He mumbles, already feeling the edges of a headache.

“You have voices too?” Techno asks, eyes widenning slightly.

“He said they’re named Ran and Boo, they have physical bodies too. Slightly different from you,” Phil explains.

“I don’t know if it’s better or worse for them to be able to touch you,” Techno huffs.

“See?! They mean us no harm!” Ran yells, slamming his hands on the table causing Ranboo to jump.

“Can you two please shut up? Five minutes is all I’m asking for,” Ranboo pleads.

Neither Phil nor Techno bat an eye which he is silently grateful for as the two entities look guilty.

“Sorry kid,” Boo whispers.

“It’s okay, thank you.”

They sit in silence until Phil announces he is done with dinner. Ranboo savors the real food, glad to be eating something other than scraps and berries. He never had the heart to kill animals, so he made due with the plants he found. Phil and Techno spoke about everyday things, mentioning two people named Wilbur and Tommy who Ranboo could only assume were Phil’s other two children. Ranboo kept to himself as he ate, not wanting to intrude.

Phil showed him to the guest room, apologizing for the small bed.

“It’s alright, I haven’t slept on a real bed in a long time. It’s a nice change,” He offers the man a smile.

Phil parts him with a quiet goodnight and leaves Ranboo to get settled. He pulls the cloak off and folds it, placing it on the nightstand. He removes his mask and gloves, placing them on top of his cloak. He sits down on the bed and murmurs another thanks to Phil for his kindness.

He startles awake early in the morning, the sun having not shown yet. Ran and Boo sleep on the floor next to the bed. Ranboo doesn’t move, a pitiful attempt at convincing himself to sleep again. When it, unsurprisingly, doesn’t work, he stands. Quietly sneaking around Ran and Boo, he finds himself walking downstairs again. 

“Couldn’t sleep?” He has to stop himself from yelping.

He turns towards Techno, “A-Ah, no. I think I had a nightmare.”

Techno hums, “I’m not as good with emotions as Phil is, but getting it off your chest might help.”

“I can’t remember it, so there’s no point.”

“You seem to not remember a lot, Phil says you don’t even remember your age.”

Ranboo lets himself sit next to the other hybrid, “I have issues with remembering, my memories aren’t set in stone. I don’t remember where I’m from or why I left. The only thing I remember from my childhood is the feeling of my lungs being set on fire and hands grabbing my hair.”

“Sounds shitty,” Techno hums.

“It gets easier when you can’t remember what happened last week.”

“Have you really never met another hybrid before?” Techno questions.

“Not before coming here. I tend to stay away from larger nations or cities, but I was desparate.”

“Makes sense, enderman hybrids are rare. I bet you’d sell for a high price if traders ever found you.”

“Traders?”

“They kidnap hybrids, specifically rare ones, and sell them off to wealthy people. Phil saved me from a group of them when I was a child.” Techno informs.

His mind reels at the idea of people selling hybrids as if they were property.

“Don’t worry about it too much,” Techno says, “If you stay here, you won’t ever have to deal with them. The president, Tubbo, outlawed them here. Even if I strongly hate the government, I’m grateful he passed that law. This nation has become a safe place for any type of hybrid.”

“Wh-... um… what kinds of other hybrids are there?”

“I’m a piglin hybrid, but I personally know quite a few though. Phil, of course, is a phantom hybrid. There’s also my youngest brother who is a mooshroom hybrid. From there I know a goat hybrid, a fox hybrid, a duck hybrid, a ram hybrid, a diamond golem hybrid, a cat hybrid, and a blaze hybrid.”

“That’s a lot…” Ranboo mumbles, “A-And they all have good relations with humans?”

“Yeah, everyone lives in peace here.”

He sits back, “Would I be welcomed here…? If I chose to stay, that is!”

Techno hums, “I have no doubt you would. I can take you with me to meet everyone tomorrow and you can make your decision then.”

Ranboo finds himself agreeing without much thought. He decides to not overthink it, if it goes wrong then he leaves, but if it goes well then he has a real home. A place where he can call his own.

“Ranboo!” He blinks a few times, realizing he had zoned out staring at the water below him.

“You alright man?” Tommy asks, coming up on his left.

“Yeah sorry, just lost in thought.”

“There is no time for such things!” Tubbo yells from his right, “We have things to do and places to see!”

Ranboo laughs as he watches his two friends sprint away. He turns towards Phil’s house, seeing the man and two of his sons through the front window. A silent thanks is given.

“What have I told you about apologizing so much?” Boo teases, ruffling Ranboo’s hair.

“Stop it,” His complaints hold no real malice as told by the smile on his face.

He had finally found a home. He was finally at peace.


End file.
